As they descended further into the dungeon, Teo became increasingly irritated. About the dungeon, it was just boring; the first floor was super easy; the only reason he even got injured was because he didn't properly read Selene's notes.
The second floor was a pain in the ass; it was just time and time again the same boring mobs, and finally the mob that guarded the stairs, although he could let loose a bit, it was still very easy. "Well, not much can be done about it; it is only a rank C dungeon after all. I shouldn't have had high hopes to begin with."
Lost in thought, he didn't realize he had arrived at the next floor. "As expected, more of those mutated trolls. I just hope there aren't multiple rooms like the last floor." signing, he continued, "On the bright side, I can try out this sword."
"Master! I am not a sword; my name is Sorazaki, and if you can't be bothered to remember that, at least call me a katana." Sorazaki said while vibrating in anger atop Teo's shoulder.
Teo, slightly taken aback by Sorazaki's reaction, couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Alright, Sorazaki, I won't call you a sword anymore. Now let's see what you can do."
Teo stepped into the new chamber, eyes scanning the room. The mutated trolls, just as grotesque as the one on the last floor, shuffled aimlessly.
"Guess it's time to clear the room," he muttered, his fingers tightening around Sorazaki's hilt. "Let's see how you handle this."
Without waiting for a reply, Teo swung Sorazaki in a smooth arc. The blade cut through the air with a sound like slicing wind, but to his surprise, he felt a slight resistance. "Why was there resistance, Sora?" he asked, holding the blade out in front of him, inspecting it carefully.
"Master, look in front of you. And did you already forget my specialties?" Sorazaki replied, his voice tinged with annoyance.
"Huh?" Teo glanced at the trolls, only to find one of them cut cleanly in half at the waist, its upper and lower halves falling to the ground with a wet thud.
"Wow, so that's what 'cutting through distance' means, huh?" Teo said, eyes widening with realization. "Neat."
Teo's grin widened as he prepared to go wild with Sorazaki, but just before charging at the zombies, he remembered he still needed to see the abilities of three other familiars. Slightly annoyed, he turned around and gave the others a pointed look.
"Alright, Wéidù, Spectre, and Yǐngzhào, it's your turn."
With a flick of Yōulíngs wings, Teo and Sorazaki both dissolved into mist, their forms disintegrating into a fine, ethereal haze. As he vanished, Teo's voice echoed from the fog: "Let's see what you've got."
The mist parted slightly as Wéidù Māo materialized first, its light blue eyes glowing. The small let out a soft purr, and in an instant time seemed to slow down. As it leisurely walked towards a troll that was close by.
Teo could see it now; the troll's movements were sluggish, its limbs heavy as if caught in mud. Wéidù Māo's pawsteps were graceful; with a casual flick of its tail, it disappeared, only to appear right next to the troll a moment later. Swiping its claws, the troll just exploded.
"Space and time are nice, and it also has a subspace. Well done." Hearing that the cat warped back to Teo's side and began purring heavily while rubbing its face against Teo's legs.
Next, the mist swirled as Atrum Spectre emerged, its dark purple eyes emitting malice. With a haunting screech, it spread its wings wide, releasing a cloud of poisonous mist into the air. Teo could feel the change immediately: the air grew thicker and heavier, tainted with a poisonous curse.
"Interesting," Teo muttered, his brow furrowing. "I don't know why, but I can understand what it just did, combining poison with curses... What a horrifying synergy."
As the poisonous mist settled over a group of trolls, they dropped lifeless to the ground, their bodies twitching briefly before succumbing to the deadly effects. Teo shook his head in grim amusement. "These creatures are far too weak. They can't even regenerate from this."
The mist parted again, revealing Yǐngzhào Màntí next. The manticore's flaming blue pelt is burning brighter with each passing second. The creature's massive scorpion tail flicked, and as it did, the mist around it seemed to decay and wither.
Yǐngzhào Màntí moved forward, swinging its tail in the air. With each lash, the environment around it began to break down. The stone beneath its feet crumbled into dust as it passed.
Noticing this new presence, the trolls charged, their eyes fixed on the manticore's blazing blue form. Yǐngzhào Màntí's gaze turned predatory as it stood its ground, waiting for the closest troll to come within range. Just as one troll lunged, it lashed out with its tail, barely grazing the creature's arm. In an instant, the troll's skin withered where the tail struck, its flesh decaying and turning to ash.
Another troll swung at Yǐngzhào Màntí, but before it could land a blow, the manticore's mane flared with intense blue flames. The fire reflected the troll's own attack back at it, an echo of its own strength, and the creature staggered backward, stunned.
In the mist, Teo watched with a gleam of approval. "Reflection and decay," he muttered to himself. "Perfect for clearing these pests. Yǐngzhào, finish them off. I've lost interest. They're too weak," he ordered, his tone dismissive.
Yǐngzhào let out a powerful roar, infusing it with his magic. In response, every troll froze, then began to wither simultaneously, as if an invisible force were draining them. Though slower than his direct tail strike, the effect spread across the horde, leaving the weaker monsters helpless against the decay that crept over them. In less than five minutes, the once-swarming trolls were reduced to lifeless ash, the air thick with the remnants of Yǐngzhào's magic.
Teo nodded in satisfaction. "Efficient. Alright, now onto the final floor." Stepping out of the mist, he strode toward the far end of the cave, his gaze scanning for any sign of a staircase. He hoped for one this time; the winding passageway from the last floor had been tedious, and he was ready to be done with these lower-level challenges.
Teo grinned as the staircase appeared, unable to contain a small, triumphant dance. Without a second thought, he stepped onto the first stair and began his descent. He paused briefly, glancing over his shoulder at his familiars. "Alright, here's the plan. You all stay back while I deal with the boss. If there are any minor mobs, go ahead and clear them, but leave the big one to me."
The familiars nodded in understanding.